Directed Molecular Assembly of Soft Nanomaterials

Abstract:
Establishing a robust and versatile nanofabrication process has been a central issue in nano technology. Molecular self-assembly has several advantages over other methods such that molecular building blocks ensure ultrafine pattern precision, parallel structure formation allows for mass production and a variety of three-dimensional structures are available for fabricating complex structures. Nevertheless, the molecular interaction for self-assembly generally relies on weak forces such as van der Waals force, hydrogen bonding, or hydrophobic interaction.

Since those interactions are readily influenced by thermal fluctuation, the structure formation is usually slow and the degree of ordering is low in an assembled structure. To promote self-assembly, various directed-assembly technologies have been developed and gathered a great deal of technological attention as a next generation nanofabrication process. In this presentation our achievements of directed molecular assembly for various soft nanomaterials, such as block copolymers, biomolecules, carbon nanotubes and graphene will be presented.